Murder victim's son lays father to rest

NORTH BEND, Ore.-- The son of a man murdered in a North Bend motel last month has laid his father to rest.

Anthony Hajek is David Marion Barker's biological son and tells KCBY that he and his father were just now starting to rebuild their relationship after being separated when he was a child.

For many, what happened at the Itty Bitty Inn was simply a heinous crime, but for those closest to Barker, the ordeal continues to be a tragedy.

"This blow has crippled me a little bit in my heart," Hajek said. I'd like to say that I went through worser things in my life, but I'm not sure if I have."

Friends and family gathered at the North Bend Boardwalk on Saturday to say their final goodbyes to Barker. A private service was held earlier strictly for family, but Hajek said he wanted his father's friends to have the chance to say goodbye.

An autopsy reveals Barker was beaten and stabbed to death. Hajek says his father's body was left in such poor condition from the attack that he was forced to cremate his father's remains.

"There is no way we could've had an open casket funeral," Hajek said.

Hajek said he is making the most of the situation and will place his father underneath a Japanese Fig tree that was donated and planted in his honor.

"We're going to undo the ball of the tree and stick it down in there," Hajek said describing his father's ashes. "and we're gonna prepare this. It will be here as a memorial to my father, and he'll actually grow up into the tree."

When it comes to facing the man accused of killing his father, Ronald Wayne Ambill, Hajek had just one thing to say.

"I'm very angry at this individual, but you know I am a Christian in my heart and its gotten me through life this far," Hajek said. "And maybe there's forgiveness down the road, but it's a little hard to even think that way right now."

Anthony says he isn't finished honoring his father's memory. He wants to build a bench next to his father's tree so he can sit in his father's presence just a little longer.